The Sunday Mail
Online Reporter
Listed sugar producer Hippo Valley Estates says it has cleared over half of the targeted land for its US$40 million cane development project dubbed ‘Project Kilimanjaro’.
The project, which Hippo is working on in partnership with Government and local banks, will see virgin land developed into sugarcane plantations.
The project is expected to boost the country’s sugar output, which currently stands at around 400 000 tonnes a year.
“Work on the 4 000-hectare cane development project (Project Kilimanjaro) being undertaken by Tongaat Hulett Zimbabwe in partnership with Government and local banks has seen a total of 2 700 hectares of virgin land bush-cleared and ripped, and 562 hectares planted to sugarcane,” said Hippo Valley Estates chairperson Mr Canaan Dube in the company’s 2021 annual report.
The company said it was working to overcome obstacles that have been causing delays in the implementation of the project.
“As previously reported, project works were slowed down on account of delays in obtaining the requisite funding from financial institutions pending further clarity on land tenure, both of which are being progressed.”
In the meantime, the company said to ensure productive use of the cleared land in the interim, 76 hectares and 750 hectares have been put to maize and sorghum, respectively.
An additional 902 hectares of maize was planted on company fallow cane land as a break crop.
“This resulted in the benefit of maximising land use and further improving food security.”
